Kouchibouguac National Park of Canada

Ecological Integrity of the Park

Canada's National Parks Act stipulates that the protection of ecological integrity of Parks is one of the three founding building blocks of our mandate. Ecological integrity is generally defined as being the condition of an ecosystem that has not been altered by the result of human activities such as pollution, environment degradation or loss of native species.

In order to maintain the ecological integrity of an area, we must first know the health condition of that ecosystem. To do this, it is of the utmost importance to have long-term ecological integrity indicator monitoring programs. Ecological integrity indicators are animal or plant species or fundamental ecological processes that are measured over a long period of time so as to detect any changes in the ecosystem that could potentially threaten its integrity. The monitoring of the soft-Shell Clam population, bog vegetation and the dynamics of the barrier islands are just a few examples of ecological indicators used in Kouchibouguac National Park.

Ecological integrity indicator monitoring programs along with research studies on park ecosystems enables us to measure the ecological integrity of the Park's ecosystems. This will allow Park managers to make decisions based on scientific data, thus reducing and sometimes even eliminating human impacts on the ecosystem.

Monitoring program for ecological integrity at Kouchibouguac National Park

EI Indicator

Project/measure

components

Processes

Biodiversity

Stressor

Ecosystem

Acadian forest

Trees/Shrubs dominance, growth and condition

Dominance, growth and condition of key species

X

X

Salamanders

Abundance

X

X

Lichens

Air quality index-diversity

X

X

Exotic Invasive

Invasive Plant Index

X

Climate

X

Freshwater (Aquatic)

Juvenile salmon productivity

Productivity/abundance

X

X

Water Quality

Water Quality Index

X

X

River otter

Density

X

X

Benthic invertebrates

Diversity/abundance

X

X

Peatland

Bog vegetation, water quantity & quality

Vegetation diversity/ abundance, water wells

X

X

Coastal (sand dune and bird dynamics)

Barrier Islands dynamics

Erosion rate/habitat change

X

Red breasted merganser

Abundance/productivity

X

X

Common tern population

Abundance/productivity

X

X

Piping plover (SAR)

Abundance/productivity

X

X

X

(Estuaries)

Estuarine Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI)

Abundance/diversity

X

X

X

Soft-shell clam

Abundance/productivity

X

X

X

(Salt marshes)

Salt marsh productivity

Accretion and productivity above and below ground

X

For further information on our monitoring programs and research studies, please contact the staff responsible for conservation of the Park's natural resources.